Cartridge Holder

ABSTRACT

A cartridge holder, attachable to a belt, a garment, or integral with either, comprises a panel of flexible material having at least one edge portion folded upon itself and fastened to form a loop. Obliquely oriented slits in the panel form retaining straps opposite corresponding holes in the loop so that a cartridge may be inserted beneath a given strap and rotated to fit its point into the corresponding hole, whereby it may be firmly held by cooperation of the twisted strap with its associated hole. Each hole is made expandable by at least one slit radiating therefrom.

United States Patent [1 1 Christensen Nov. 4, 1975 CARTRIDGE HOLDER 3,334,794 8/1967 Saari et a1 224/22 [76] Inventor: George L. Christensen, 624 N. 1st

West, Tremonton, Utah 84337 Primary ExaminerRobert J. Spar Assistant ExaminerRoss Weaver Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward E. McCullough [57] ABSTRACT A cartridge holder, attachable to a belt, a garment, or integral with either, comprises a panel of flexible material having at least one edge portion folded upon itself and fastened to form a loop. Obliquely oriented slits in the panel form retaining straps opposite corresponding holes in the loop so that a cartridge may be inserted beneath a given strap and rotated to fit its point into the corresponding hole, whereby it may be firmly held by cooperation of the twisted strap with its associated hole. Each hole is made expandable by at least one slit radiating therefrom.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures /6 40 v m L0 US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 CARTRIDGE HOLDER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS I This invention is essentially an improvement on that described in my patent application, Ser. No. 348,380 titled Cartridge Holder, filed A r. 13, 1953, now US. Pat. No. 2,715,487.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates broadly to ammunition belts and holders. More specifically, it relates to improvements in portable cartridge holders that may be worn on the person and may be attachable to, or integral with, an article of clothing.

The present invention is primarily an improvement on that of my patent cited above. Although that invention provided an advance in the state of the art at the time of its conception, it was found that, as the cartridge holder retaining stap became worn, retention of the cartridges became somewhat dependent on gravity. Also, that invention was more difficult and expensive to manufacture than was desired.

A number of types of cartridge holders are known in the prior art, and some have a superficial resemblance to the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,794 shows obliquely oriented slits that form cartridge retaining straps similar to those of the present invention. However, in this patent, the retention of the cartridges is entirely dependent on the elasticity of the retaining straps, and does not feature the cooperation of corresponding holes, as in the present invention. Each strap 46 must be stretched as a cartridge is inserted between it and the panel 22. Hence both insertion and removal of the cartridges are somewhat difficult because of the necessity of stretching the cartridge holder strap and the fact that it grips the cartridge tightly at all times. Also, it is difficult to insert a cartridge therein without the use of both hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention offers advantages that are not found in the prior art. It provides a panel having retaining straps that tightly grip the cartridge without any dependence on gravity, yet it loosely holds the cartridges during insertion and removal thereof, making these operations easily accomplished with only one hand.

The flexible panel of the invention may have any of a number of means for rendering it wearable on the person; e.g., it may be a part of a belt, mounted to a belt, snapped to a garment, or part of a garmet such as a vest. Its lower edge is folded upon itself and fastened to form a loop. A series of parallel, obliquely oriented slits are cut into the panel to form a series of retaining straps. Each of these straps has a corresponding hole directly below it in the loop, so that the strap is obliquely oriented to the direction from its center to the corresponding hole; and each hole is made expandable by a small radial slit extending therefrom. Al-

though this radial slit may extend in any direction from the hole, it is preferred that it extend from the side of its hole indicated by the adjacent end of its corresponding retaining strap. In this position, the slit assists insertion of the point of a cartridge into the hole; and, since the retained cartridge must be rotated through about 50 for such insertion from the slitted side, the twist in the 2 retaining strip that results from this rotation biases the cartridge point toward the unslitted side of the hole for firm retention therein. By counter-rotation of the cartridge, the slit alsofacilitates its removal.

During insertion and removal of the cartridge from beneath its retaining strap, when the point of the cartridge is not engaged in its slitted hole, the cartridge is normally positioned at right angles to its retaining strap. In this position, it is very loosely held by thestrap so that insertion and removal therefrom are very easy. This effect may be enhanced by embossing the retaining straps so that they are raised from the surface of the panel. The cartridge is tightly gripped only when its point is also engaging the slitted hole, so that the hole cooperates with the retaining strap in maintaining an approximately 45 twist therein that tightly grips the cartridge.

Objects of the invention are to provide a cartridge holder (1) that tightly grips the retained cartridges so I that retention therein is not dependent on gravity; (2) wherein insertion and removal of cartridges is easy and can be accomplished with one hand; and (3) wherein the gripping power of the retaining straps is relatively undiminished with use.

Important features of the invention are that it is simple in construction, very easily manufactured, and reliable to use. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are designated by the same numbers throughout the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the invention, but divided into right and left hand portions to show two species of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the left hand species of FIG. 1 but showing a different means for fastening the invention to a garment;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the right hand species of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of how a cartridge may be inserted beneath a typical retaining strap of the invention;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 showing how a corresponding slitted nole cooperates to maintain a twist in the retaining strap, so that it tightly grips the cartridge during storage;

FIG. 6 shows how the invention may be incorporated into a belt; and

FIG. 7 shows how it may be incorporated into a vest.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the invention is essentially a panel 10, having a lower portion 11 that is folded ,upon itself and fastened by some means such as stitching 12 to form a loop 13 at the lower edge thereof. Alternatively, as shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 1, the lower portion 11 may be extended even farther so that its edge may be fastened to the opposite, longitudinal edge of the panel 10. In either case, the loop 13 may be embossed to project outwardly. A row 15 of equally spaced slits 14 in the panel 10 extends parallel to the loop 13. Each slit 14 is inclined at about 45 to the row 15. Ajacent pairs of slits 14 form cartridge retaining straps l6. Directly below the center of each retaining strap 16 is a hole 17 in the top portion of the loop 13 adjacent its juncture with the panel 10, so that the row of holes 17 is parallel to the row of retaining straps 16. Each hole 17 is made expandable by a radial slit 9 extending therefrom, preferably in the direction indicated by the adjacent end of its corresponding retaining strap 16.

The panel 10 is preferably made of leather, but may be made of any of several other tough, flexible materials.

Also, various means may be used for rendering the panel 10 wearable on the person. It may be equipped with snap or other types of fasteners 18 that may engage mating fasteners on a garment such as a vest, not shown (FIG. 2); it may have a full length belt loop 19 formed by extending the bottom edge 11 and fastening it to the top edge of the panel 10 (FIGS. 1, right hand portion, and 3); it may have narrowed, elongated end portions 20 that form a belt 21 equipped with a buckle or other fastener 22 that may engage the ends thereof (FIG. 6); or it may be an integral part of a garment such as a vest 23 (FIG. 7). It may also be attachable to a belt by means of belt loops 24 (FIG. 1, left hand portion) formed by pairs of slits 24a in the panel 10, in the manner of the retaining straps 16.

FIGS. 4 and illustrate how each retaining strap 16 cooperates with its corresponding hole 17 and radial slit 9 to facilitate insertion and removal of cartridges from the retaining straps and to retain the cartridges tightly during storage therein. FIG. 4 shows the typical position of the cartridge 25 as it is being inserted into or removed from the retaining strap 16. In storage, the cartridge 25 is rotated counterclockwise until its point passes the hole 17. Then it is rotated slightly clockwise and pressed downwardly so that the point of the projectile 26 engages the hole 17, its entry therein being facilitated by the radial slit 9. The counterclockwise rota tion of the cartridge 25 in the retaining strap 16 imposes an approximately 45 twist on the retaining strap 16, causing it to grip the cartridge 25 tightly and biasing the point of its projectile 26 against the unslitted side of the hole 17. This cooperationof the twisted retaining strap 16 and its corresponding hole 17 maintainsa firm grip on the cartridge 25 so that retention thereof is not dependent on gravity. Also, since there is relatively little sliding motion of the cartridge 25 in the retaining strap 16 when the strap 16 is twisted, the wear on the strap 16 is minimized and does not significantly reduce its capabilities of retaining the cartridge.

An invention has been described that advances the art of cartridge retaining means. Although the preferred embodiments have been described with considerable specificity with regard to detail, it should be noted that many such details may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of storing an ammunition cartridge having a projectile, on a flexible panel to be worn on the person, comprising:

cutting a hole in the panel;

making a retaining strap by cutting a pair of parallel slits in the panel obliquely to the direction from the center of the strap to the hole;

inserting the cartridge between the strap and the panel with the projectile end thereof toward the hole; and

rotating the cartridge so that the end of its projectile may be inserted into the hole, whereby a twist is induced in the strap so that it grips the cartridge tightly during storage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining strap 1 cilitating insertion of the projectile point into the hole. 

1. The method of storing an ammunition cartridge having a projectile, on a flexible panel to be worn on the person, comprising: cutting a hole in the panel; making a retaining strap by cutting a pair of parallel slits in the panel obliquely to the direction from the center of the strap to the hole; inserting the cartridge between the strap and the panel with the projectile end thereof toward the hole; and rotating the cartridge so that the end of its projectile may be inserted into the hole, whereby a twist is induced in the strap so that it grips the cartridge tightly during storage.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining strap is inclined at about 45* to the direction from its center to the hole.
 3. The method of claim 1 further including cutting a radial slit extending from the hole in the direction indicated by the adjacent end of the retaining strap for facilitating insertion of the projectile point into the hole. 